Royals: Looking back on the 2015 World Series, Game 1

With game one and possibly momentum for the entire series on the line, can the Kansas City Royals get to one of the most dominant closers of 2015?

As we head into the fifth, it looks like the New York Mets are beginning to figure out Volquez and sure enough Granderson drills a ball over the fence to give the visitors their first lead of the game, 2-1. That was the first round-tripper for the slugger in the 2015 playoffs.

Harvey is starting to perform like a broken record as he once again puts the Kansas City Royals down in order.  And the Mets continue to chip away at Volquez putting together singles by Cespedes and Duda and then a sacrifice fly from Michael Conforto to push the lead to 3-1.

The Royals finally start to play Joker to the Dark Knight when Zobrist doubles to right field and Cain singles to put runners on the corners. Hosmer promptly smacks a ball to center that is caught but does chase Zobrist home.  Cain swipes second base and is rewarded when Mike Moustakas singles to score him.  And just like that, we are knotted up.

Following a season in which in made 24 starts in 30 appearances, Danny Duffy plays the reliever role entirely for the 2015 postseason run.  He comes in to face a couple of left-handers (although Johnson is pinch hit for by righty Michael Cuddyer) and gets both hitters.  Kelvin Herrera is now charged with finishing the frame and despite a couple of base hits, he is able to hold the Mets scoreless.

Addison Reed replaces Harvey for the bottom of the seventh.  Reed came over from Arizona during the year and in 17 games performed very well with an ERA+ of 332  and a 1.17 ERA.  He has no trouble setting the Royals down in order.

Despite already facing three batters, Herrera stays in the game.  After recording a strikeout and a flyout, a single is given up to Juan Lagares.  Lagares swipes second and then the normally sure-handed Hosmer allows a ball to skip by him and the go-ahead run to score.

Tyler Clippard comes in for the Mets and despite a great year in relief, he gives up a double to Zobrist to lead off.  After two strikeouts Clippard throws a wild pitch letting Zobrist advance to third.  A walk to Morales spells the end of Clippard and Familia is brought in to close out the game.  He succeeds in this inning getting Moustakas to groundout.

Luke Hochevar works the ninth for the Kansas City Royals and maneuvers around a single to shut down New York.  Kansas City is down to three outs to tie or win the game. Perez is the first one to get a shot but he is thrown out by the shortstop.

And what a magical moment is produced as Gordon takes Familia over the 410-foot wall in center field to tie the game! That was the first dinger allowed by Familia in is first ten innings of postseason baseball.  Paulo Orlando and Escobar were set down after this but the damage was done and we are on to free baseball.